'This is the racing industry's biggest, darkest secret'

"Wastage" ... up to 10,000 racehorses are slaughtered every year. Photo: The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses

THE brutal shooting of injured racehorses at point-blank range at a knackery during Melbourne Cup week was secretly filmed by animal activists.

The video shows visibly distressed horses being held in pens not much larger than the size of their own bodies, before being shot by a man with a gun at close range.

"This is the racing industry's biggest, darkest secret," said Ward Young from the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, the organisation that posted the video.

But Victorian Racing Minister Denis Napthine labelled the video "dramatic" and "overstating" animal wastage in the racing industry. "It was very dramatic but it certainly was overstating the issue," he said.

Racing Victoria defended their industry, saying they are developing an "equine welfare" plan to address the issue of retraining and rehousing ex-racehorses.

"Equine welfare is an area of great importance to Racing Victoria and one that we are investing considerable resources into," said Shaun Kelly from Racing Victoria.

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The president of RSPCA Victoria, Hugh Wirth, said the knackery in the video was "disgraceful".

"There's supposed to be a code of practice controlling knackeries, but they're all broken down, and somewhere where I wouldn't send a horse of mine," he said.

Activists say the video highlights the issue of wastage in the horseracing industry, with as many as two-thirds of the horses bred for racing never seeing a race track.

"The racing industry is deliberately silent on the issue of wastage because they know that sending thousands of healthy, uncompetitive horses to slaughter each year is unconscionable," said Mr Young.

The industry calls the number of horses withdrawn from racing each year "wastage". But activists say the reality is horses that are no longer financially viable are often slaughtered, being sent to knackery to be turned into pet food, or an abattoir to be prepared for human consumption.

Up to 10,000 racehorses are slaughtered every year, the majority of which are used for pet food, according to industry insiders. Horse sales around Australia are often attended by meat buyers, who purchase failed racehorses at auction. While thoroughbreds can fetch millions of dollars at auction, failed or injured race horses can sell for as little as $70.

The coalition says the racing industry should contribute 1 per cent of revenue from betting - about $143 million - to establish a racehorse retirement program.

Racing Victoria said it would consider a levy that allocated a percentage of prize money to help solve the issue of wastage. The plan is expected to be completed early next year.

Mr Young said racehorses are being sent to premature deaths en masse due to a throwaway culture. "The racing industry needs to realise that by breeding these animals, and by profiting from them while they're racing and having those sort of benefits, they owe a responsibility to that animal to look after it for its entire life, not just its life while racing."

A 2008 report commissioned by the RSPCA found that just 300 out of every 1000 thoroughbred foals born in Australia ended up racing, with many being sent to abattoirs or knackeries rather than being retrained for other purposes.

"This is the racing industry's retirement plan for horses," said Mr Young. "These aren't your Makybe Divas, these aren't your Black Caviars; these are the horses who are slow, injured or didn't make the cut."